In the course of building construction, a new roof is installed over a plywood base of a new building. The roof is typically made of shingles, with a single asphalt shingle being of rectangular shape, and having dimensions generally of 12 inches by 36 inches. When a roofer is installing a new roof, it is thus necessary for him to have readily at hand a large number of shingles. Shingles are grouped into "bundles", with each bundle of, for example, asphalt shingles containing approximately 24 shingles and having a weight of approximately 75 pounds. Since roofs are usually constructed slanted at various angles, extreme care is required by the roofer during the course of his work in installing a new roof or in repairing or replacing old shingles.
A procedure used by roofers at the present time is to pile a sufficient supply of shingles on a top crest of the roof structure, and then to bring down a few at a time to an area for installing the shingles to the plywood roof base. A nail is driven into the roof and a stack of shingles are leaned against the nail, holding the stack as the shingles are installed. A roofer installs the shingles, one overlapping the other, by starting from the bottom, or lowest point on a roof, and working upwards towards the crest of the roof. Therefore, the nail driven into the roof to hold a ready supply of shingles is nailed into new shingles already installed as part of a new roof. Obvious damage to the newly placed shingles therefore occurs, and the roofer is limited in the number of shingles which he can bring down from the top crest to his work position at any given time. Thus, additional time is added to the work in replenishing the shingle supply with trips to the top crest of the roof, and also in driving the nails as "holders", as the new roof installation progresses. These drawbacks and disadvantages make desirable a means for providing a roofer with a ready supply of asphalt shingles for installation in the construction of a new roof, and suitable means for holding a bundle of shingles, which does not cause damage to the shingles or other parts of the roof surface.
One possibility for providing such a ready supply of shingles to a roofer is a rack type device that is placed against a roof for holding shingles as described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,339,458. However, the use of such a rack or support platform has the disadvantage of relying upon pointed spikes or claw members to engage in the shingles on the roof to hold the rack in place. Also, roofing aids are known that make use of a pad or cushion of surface adhering material. However, these have been used only in connection with clothing worn by a roofer, as part of the knees or seat sections of clothing.